After the events of last week’s riveting episode (are you reading this Emmy voters?), it didn’t seem like Tara would ever be able to forgive Jax for what happened. But now that she’s had a night to calm down, she certainly seems willing to try, even if she doesn’t look entirely convinced that they’ll be able to leave Charming as promised. Jax still believes that they can get out, though, and now that the hospital in Providence has offered Tara a job despite her recent accident, their plans to start a new life together are still alive. Or at least they were until Tara foolishly broke her hand all over again after freaking out following Wendy’s visit. Personally, I don’t see why it’s such a big deal. Wendy is, after all, Abel’s biological mother, and if she’s completely reformed, then why shouldn’t she be able to get to know her son? Gemma sees the reasoning behind it and agrees to let Wendy into Abel’s life, but only under her rules. That could mean that Drea de Matteo is coming back to “SOA” full-time, but I wouldn’t place any bets just yet.

Meanwhile, with the rest of the club now aware of Tara’s attempted kidnapping, they’ve agreed to join Jax in exacting revenge on Lobos Sonora by teaming up with Romeo’s men to get rid of the cartel’s presence in Charming. The attack doesn’t go quite as planned, however, and they accidentally wander into a minefield just outside of the Lobos’ camp. During the ensuing firefight, Kozik steps on one of the mines and is blown to pieces – an event that will likely go down as the most pointless death in the history of the show. I don’t really see any reason why Kozik had to die apart from the fact that Kenny Johnson (the actor who plays him) has a new gig on NBC’s “Prime Suspect,” especially when he was just beginning to mesh with the rest of the cast. That whole sequence played really false to me, with Jax and Chibbs even using some rocket launchers (or as Juice called them, “‘Call of Duty’ shit”) like they were seasoned pros.

Apart from that strange detour, the rest of the episode did a great job of getting all the show’s ducks in a row in preparation for the finale. One of the biggest loose ends still looming in the background was the deal that Clay struck with Georgie to trick Hale into thinking he had new investors for Charming Heights. Unfortunately, the plan worked a little too well, and one of the Asian families went behind Georgie’s back and actually made a deal with Hale, ensuring that the property deal would go through. When the Sons learn that Georgie can’t do anything to stop it, Bobby forces him to confess the truth about Luanne’s murder before giving Tig and Opie the go-ahead to kill him like they should have weeks ago. As expected, Georgie was involved in her death, although he claims that it was an accident and she was only meant to be roughed up a bit.

Of course, that particular piece of intel isn’t going to mean much to Otto since Bobby already lied to him about killing Georgie once. And now because of it, he’s decided to rat on SAMCRO after Lincoln agrees to a list of demands that include giving Lennie the Pimp back some of his prison rights and moving up his execution date. Oh yeah, and he also wants to be the one to tell Bobby that he gave up the club, although that last one is going to blow up in his face as soon as he learns that Georgie was responsible for Luanne’s death. Then again, as long as Otto doesn’t sign off on his testimony, there’s always a chance that he’ll be able to retract his statement in time. And from where I’m standing, that’s SAMCRO’s only hope of getting out of this whole mess in one piece.

Other thoughts from the episode:

* Otto’s traitorous decision wasn’t even the biggest talking point of the night, but rather it was Opie finally discovering Piney’s body in the cabin. I’m not sure why Unser didn’t go finish the frame-up job immediately after speaking with Gemma, but now Opie knows the real truth, and Unser’s warning that Clay needs to die before he “kills someone else you love” suggests that Opie will indeed be the Son who puts him down for good.

* But it’s entirely possible that someone totally unexpected will be the one that pulls the trigger instead. If Tig killed Clay, it would continue in the tradition of the show’s other Shakespearean influences, although it would be more “Julius Caesar” than “Hamlet.” And after confronting Clay about being shut out in recent weeks and then turning over his Sgt. at Arms patch after seeing what he did to Gemma, Tig certainly has motive.

* And then there’s Juice, who’s trying to save the club and his brothers by essentially going against everything they stand for. If he would have just went confided in Chibs in the first place about the whole race issue (who claims that it isn’t an issue at all because his birth certificate says he’s Hispanic), he wouldn’t be in the difficult situation that he’s in now, which only makes it that much harder to swallow.

I really have a problem with how this episode has played out. I do agree with kozik death being stupid. My real beef is the whole “we can’t tell Jax cause that will only hurt him argument”, but Opie is fair game, that is f-ing ridiculous. And how may mulligans is Clay going to receive. And I get Unser is in love with Gemma but give me a break he ain’t even getting any of her box to be doing all that he is doing for her. The rest of the storyline I’m cool with and I understand you have to create a season long story but i mean really. Again I get Jax is one of the main characters if not the main one but through the first three seasons he was able to make tough decisions on a bunch of things. My rant is just that but if anyone but Jax kills Clay I may stop watching just on principle. So on that note lets hope they get it right in these next 3 episodes.

Well you touched on something i have been thinking for a while now. I have thought since the middle of the season that Tig would end up killing Clay because Sutter never does the obvious and Tig would have been the least obvious person to kill Clay until tonight. He has given everyone else motive to kill Clay and now it looks obvious that Opie will do it which is probably why he won’t. I have always thought that whoever killed Clay would be the least obvious (Tig) or it would just come full circle and Jax would take him out in a gruesome fashion. Now though since Tig has motive it has left me doubting that he would do it too. I’m still putting my money on either Tig or Jax taking Clay out although it won’t be a lot of money.

One more post. As for the Tara situation i don’t think her thinking was that it was that big of a deal that Wendy wants to get to know her son. I just think it is just another thing piling on her mind and she just can’t take it anymore. It’s just the accumulation of everything and now this just broke her completely. Her thinking is probably that she has waited this whole time and been through so much waiting for Jax to get out and now Wendy is back to try to break up her family and she feels that everything she did and waited for is for nothing. At least that is what it seemed like to me.

As for Kozik yeah that sucks that he went. I didn;t know he had another part in another show so i guess that is why but i was hoping that he was going to get a bigger part in the show. He was great in The Shield too.

I also have no clue how the Juice situation will play out.

I can’t wait for next week and to see how the season ends. I freaking love this show. Is it 14 episodes this season?

I was thinking that we were going to go through another episode w/ out anyone finding out about Piney. I’m glad Unser told Opie the truth about Clay. Poor Opie, Clay is responsible for Donna’s dealth & now his dad’s too. Why is everyone treating Jax like a delicate flower? Why can’t he know the truth about Clay? I suppose Gemma had a part in JT murder and she’s the one pushing for Jax not to know because it would hurt or worse her relationship w/ Jax. Also, I’m surprised that Jax didn’t have a bigger reaction to Clay beating the crap out of his mother.

Kozik getting blown up served to break down Juice, but otherwise it was pointless. He really wasn’t on the show too much anyway, killing him off just means they aren’t able to bring him back if he wanted to come back for an episode or two.

I can somewhat see why Tara wouldn’t want Wendy to know Able, at least at this stage. If he doesn’t know Tara isn’t his Biological mother, at this point it might confuse the kid. Maybe wait until he is older before telling him that his mother was a junkie. As for her really freaking out, I think she just got overwhelmed. At least that is how I look at it.

Hell, it could be almost anybody killing clay — the cartel guys, Gemma, Tara, Jax, Opie, Unser. Has there even been another TV series character so disgusted and so hated by all? Ok, there was the Shield guy….

I think Otto is playing with Potter. Again Otto probably has some sort of sly plan working. Why would he want new glasses to see better AND want his execution date moved up? I really like how Otto controlled the entire conversation with Lincoln. Seriously do not believe that Otto would give up the club.

Since Otto is Sutter he is going to write himself something great. He’s not going to go down as a sell out,,,,and remember what happened to the last F-er. I really believe, whether it’s obvious or not, Sutter has to give the audience the satisfaction of Jax killing Clay. Otherwise anti-climactic. Jax can’t leave Charming, we know that. Jax has to take over the club. Anyone else but Jax killing Clay is a big let down.